


Juvenile Friendship

by MumSnake



Series: Child of Scarlet Flame and Blacken Void [5]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Gen, Mantis Lords (Hollow Knight) - Freeform, Mentioned characters are, Other, Post Dream No More Ending, Quirrel (Hollow Knight) - Freeform, There's an OC and she'll come out every now and then, and Post Grimm Troupe Ritual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 16:30:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15586005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MumSnake/pseuds/MumSnake
Summary: As much as the Child liked spending time with Quirrel and with some of the bugs in Dirtmouth, she was refreshing.





	Juvenile Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after In Her Sights in the Child of Scarlet Flame and Blacken Void series.
> 
> (You don't have to read the previous story for this one though.)

The Child sprung up from a river of acidic water, their form covered in deep shadows mixed scarlet flames that glistened among the free falling water. The shadows and flames swirled around and about their body as if possessing a mind of its own as they spun in the air, and as the Child extended their wings at the zenith of their jump, shadows dissolved away and flames expanded outward in a shower of small embers. They leaned backwards in the air and back flipped into a low glide towards the river, flapping their wings every now and then to keep themselves just above the water and the quickly approaching ground. The Child made a hard turn into a tight tunnel and glided their way past moving and stationary fungi. They made another turn into a large passage way when they caught the sound of fluttering come from behind and quickly gaining.

 

Just below, they saw the sign that marked the border territory of the Mantis Village. They tucked their wings in tight to their body and angled their form for a more pierce motion as they speared towards the rocky ground. Sprays of acidic waters and fungus spores flew past their face but the Child was close now, and they could hear the fluttering of wings rapidly increase to try and overtake them. As they neared the ground, the Child let out a small controlled burst of fire that quickly engulfed them in scarlet embers with the lingering hint of darkness. As the fires burned over them, they felt their body become more fluid and limber.

 

The Child spun forward just before they met the ground, wings sharply extended and strengthen from the scarlet flame pulled their body back just enough to stop them from face-planting the uneven rocks on the ground. They landed on both legs hitting the ground at the same time and as their flames protected them from most of the force of landing so quickly, the Child couldn't stop their momentum enough to avoid tripping and tumbling forward. They were able to extend their right arm out to hold themselves up when they noticed the sound of the fluttering just above them.

The Child only had time to look up as a Mantis Youth crashed head first onto them with none of the grace or delicacy they had performed.

A small dust pile rose from the impact and the Child let out a small gasp from under the Mantis.

“Ooowwwweee...”

The Child slowly picked themselves up, one of their arms came to balance the Mantis and gentle move the other off of them, careful with the thins wings on the Mantis's back too as they sat up.

“That was too fast.” The Mantis left her head to look at them, claws dug into the ground to hold themselves up and wings folding into each other as she straightened up. “How come you could move like that and while going so fast too? I tried to do that spin thing you showed me so that I could turn more and it didn't work! I think I'm too heavy for it really.” She gestured to her abdomen and her lower body with a small wiggle for emphasize. “Or something like that, I lost balance somewhere in the middle of it! I know that much at least.”

The Mantis Youth crossed her arms with a definite nod and her back straight. She held herself up for a few more seconds before sighing and looking down at the Child. “I'm still sorry for using your head as a landing cushion.”

The Child let out a scoff at that, they blew small, harmless scarlet embers at the Mantis and she giggled as they tickled her. Her wings fluttered for a moment before she lifted herself off of the Child and offered the side of her claw to them. They reached out and picked themselves up with her help.

“Do you wanna go and see if Leg Eater came back from the City yet? I heard some scouts say that they heard him scurrying about on the upper levels.”

The Child tilted their head in thought before giving a small shake. They opened their mouth and started a stuttering sound as their hands grasped each other. “laaaaaeee...”

“Its too late for you? Hmm, I guess it will be night in a few hours.” The Mantis looked up at the rocks that covered the Fungal Wastes as if she could see the sky. “OK. I'll walk you back to the surface then!” She announced to them with a beaming smile and they nodded their head in agreement.

“Thaaaank, Juvi...”

“Don't mention it Belly.”

The two of them started to walk back from where they came from with the Mantis Youth, Juvi watching their backs to make sure that no one from the Mantis Village had seen them. When she was sure that they hadn't been spotted, she quickly flew to be side by side to the Child and quickly started a retelling of her most recent training sessions with the other Mantis Youths.

The Child enjoyed listening to Juvi talk as they climbed up towards the Crossroads. The Mantis Youth always seemed to have something to say and the Child more then appreciated her company.

As much as they liked spending time with Quirrel and with some of the bugs in Dirtmouth, Juvi was refreshing.

They watched her animated talking for a while as she started going into detail about a run away Fungline that managed to get trapped in the Village's under sections. She flew quickly around them as she spoke, her eyes big and her voice light, they could practically feel her excitement and couldn't help the small giggle that slipped.

“Right?! I thought it was funny too, but then the Lords came to see what all the noise was about and I don't think I've ever seen the clan go from panic screaming to panic silence _so_ fast. And the look on the chief's face! I nearly shrieked in laughter just at that. She looked like she was gonna faint right there in front of the Lords!”

The Child let out a small laugh, accompanied with a small ball of fire, and turned to face Juvi. The boundary of the Crossroads was just a few more steps ahead.

“I'll see you again soon, OK?” Juvi landed near them and spoke with a much quieter voice. The Child leaned towards her and stared at her in questioning.

“Its just... I know that you're mostly better and everything now, but still.” She made a small gesture towards their scared abdomen and wing. “Just...” She trailed off as she frowned, her eyes lost the light they had just a moment ago and she seemed to shrunk into herself. “maybe be a little more careful when you're out there by yourself.”

She was looking at them with a hard expression and opened her mouth to say more before quickly closing it again and lunging at them, hugging them hard. The Child was knocked off balance and almost fell from her added weight when she just as quickly let them go. Her smile back on but nowhere near as bright as it once was.

“Come back soon?” She asked in that small voice again.

The Child took a second, but they gave her a confident nod. “Yeesss.”

“Then I'll see you then.”

She stood back when the Child jumped up to the path that led to the Crossroads, they looked back and waved at her when she waved them off from inside the Fungal Waste until she was out of sight.

The Child quickly made their way through the tunnels of the Crossroads towards the Resting Grounds and back to Quirrel.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This came out shorter then I wanted, so I might come back later and add more.
> 
> Also her name is Juvi (hence the title) and she nicknamed the Child "Belly" because they look like a Belfly to her.


End file.
